Franklin Claypool (Guardian of Gotham)
A wealthy scientist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, Franklin Claypool was the founder and CEO of Claypool Enterprises, a company that specialized in advanced biomedical research. A self-proclaimed visionary, Claypool developed clean energy solutions and a revolutionary airborne inoculation technology on his airship laboratories. In recent years, Claypool Enterprises was accused of human rights violations in regards to medical testing on humans. Claypool vehemently denied the accusations, and his company was cleared of all charges. Biography Claypool started out as a university professor who founded his company with his colleague Dr. Alex Sartorious, with the intention of helping people. However, Claypool eventually decided to illegally sell some of their pharmaceuticals as bioweapons and do unethical research, which eventually caused Dr. Sartorious to have grave misgivings in those actions and planned to expose his former friend. However, Claypool deduced that Sartorious was going to expose his illegal activities, and proceeded to use Fear Toxin on him for his tests. Claypool then made a deal with Scarecrow, hoping to use his Fear Toxin for profit, and even supplied his Nimbus Tech to the Crane's criminal operations, but then discovered that Scarecrow wasn't even interested in making a profit. Claypool betrayed Crane, deciding to use the technology for medical advancement and profit. Scarecrow did not take this betrayal lightly, and so then attempted to punish his former partner. Bruce took down the Militia who were interrogating Claypool about the Cloudburst. Shortly after being rescued, Claypool was recaptured by Scarecrow's Militia. Bruce then attempted to find out what the Cloudburst was supposed to be, and Claypool lied about its functions. Claypool was then placed in a cell with Fear Toxin about to be released by Scarecrow. Bruce, having already learned about the Cloudburst's true nature, then tried to find out more. Claypool was exposed by the Fear Toxin in the cell, although Bruce knocked him out. After Bruce and the Militia had left the airship, Claypool regained consciousness and managed to free himself. Claypool then activated several security measures to ensure that neither the Scarecrow's Militia nor Bruce could reach him, especially when the former, after activating the Cloudburst, planned to throw him from one of the airships. After he dispatched the Militia, and searched for Claypool, Bruce used his tech to track Claypool's handprints and found the corrupt business leader hiding underneath a floor grate in the lab floor. Bruce proceeded to interrogate Claypool demanded a solution to destroying the Cloudburst, and threatened to hold him responsible for every person that Scarecrow had killed. Claypool then explained how to bypass the Cloudburst's abilities with Nimbus Tech. Batman then trapped him in a cage, with Claypool getting fearful because the test subject chimpanzees (who were on psychotropic medication) may maul him when it came to feeding time due to not being fed in days, which was when the door cells were unlocked. Bruce then proceeded to stab Claypool to death due to being enraged by his arrogance. Personality Before his death, Franklin Claypool was a selfish and amoral coward, a man who would do anything to satisfy his insatiable lust for material wealth. As evidenced by the research notes on his airship, Stagg was a ruthless businessman, who experimented on humans (though he attempted to justify this by claiming that no one would miss them) to perfect Scarecrow's Fear Toxin and showed no remorse for the failures who died. Claypool's greed had no limits as he believed he could turn Crane's toxin into a cure for depression and experimented with humans to try and prove it. This process was responsible for the murder of many test subjects. Claypool was indifferent to the well being or safety of others, demonstrated as he created the Cloudburst for Scarecrow, knowing fully well what it was capable of and never told anyone, he also hoped that the people of the Narrows, a crime-ridden neighborhood, would be affected, and later double-crossed him for his Fear Toxin as he saw it as a potential cure for depression and planned on leaving the Narrows prior to Scarecrow's return without telling anyone about Crane's plans. Claypool uses his considerable wealth, minor influence and his own stabilizing effect on the economy due to his riches to justify his immoral actions. Claypool refuses to find fault within himself, though he had committed human experimentation which is beyond illegal, he still believes he was a victim in the situation where he had previously been shocked to find himself being arrested from his airship, claiming he thought he was about to be rescued instead. Claypool also has an ego as well, believing Bruce can't stop him because he has too much money. This applied to everyone else as well as Claypool believed he could actually get away with anything and do whatever he wanted due to his considerable wealth and no one could stop him and view himself as better then others. Furthermore, Claypool is completely oblivious to the fact he did anything wrong and believes he is genuinely innocent. This is the reason why Bruce decided to stab him to death. Claypool may have also been paranoid, as he was implied to have tried to have a microbiologist employee named Robert Kincaid assassinated via an outdated hunting rifle due to his possessing knowledge on research that was controversial, though it was never verified, the only hint at it being true being a bullet lodged into the latter's upper right arm. Trivia *Judging by his dialogue in the cell after being exposed to Scarecrow's Fear toxin, Claypool likely suffers from Arachnophobia. *In Gotham By Gaslight, Franklin Claypool is a city council member that is in league with Alexandre LeRoi, by providing him with information for his attack. Claypool secretly owns a large portion of Gotham City's slum housing, which he expected to sell profitably through his proposed redevelopment program, but the program was pushed aside by Tolliver in favor of the fair. LeRoi agreed to target Claypool's properties, allowing Claypool to collect a lucrative insurance payout, but Claypool never intended the deaths LeRoi's actions caused, and so does not resist when Inspector Gordon arrives to arrest him. Category:Batman villains Category:Businesspeople Category:Business Management Category:DC Comics